18.09.2009

Great North City Games LIVE

England 1 Australia 1

Shot put

The shot put competition, which features Australian captain Scott Martin and training mate Dale Stevenson, is just about to kick off. The setting is pretty impressive outside the Arts Centre and concert hall and looking down over the river and toward the Millennium Bridge, which will be opened this evening by Athletics Australia President Rob Fildes. England will be represented by Jamie Williamson and Carl Fletcher, who took silver and gold respectively at the most recent Northern Athletics Championships.

Carl Fletcher opens up the competition, his personal best is 17.90m and here he marks the sand at just over 15 metres.

Scott Martin, former Australian champion and world championships representative takes to the circle and fouls his first throw; a groan from the Australian team echoes.

Jamie Williamson, England’s second thrower, lands the shot at 16.11m to take the lead and now it;s Dale Stevenson’s turn.

Stevenson lines up and also fouls, so it's England one and two.

Fletcher is up again and tosses the ball 16.59m to take the lead.

Aussie captain Martin is up now and this time lands a legal one, moving into first position with 17.76m.

The lead is changing with almost every throw, now it's Williamson, the big Brit lets go a 17.17m, placing him behind Martin.

Stevenson puts a big one out towards the right hand side of the field but fouls in the circle. Still no mark for Dale.

The big Brit Fletcher is up and the music is pumping. Maybe it revs him up too much, he fouls in the circle. It seems to be quite tricky to keep your feet in the temporary circle.

Martin is next. The competition leader looks comfortable and wows the crowd with a super effort of 18.83m. A stadium and event record.

Jamie Williamson follows, will he be inspired or intimidated by Martin’s mark? He puts it out to 16.12m, a one centimetre improvement.

Stevenson, keen to record a distance, steps into the circle and moves into second place with 17.21m.

Martin’s shoulder is strapped, he tore a bicep a week ago and he tells the commentator “of course you throw in pain.” We make them tough in Australia.

For the final two rounds the order changes, with the athletes throwing from fourth to first. The order is Fletcher, Williamson, Stevenson and finally Martin.

Fletcher lines up and lets go a 16.65m, a big improvement. Williamson fouls in the circle and the Aussies who were favorites for this event look pretty comfortable in first and second position.

Dale Stevenson enters the ring to the cheers of his teammates and puts out a big one. Waiting for the distance from the judges. 18.66m for Stevenson, it’s a personal best and he’s happy.

Scotty Martin lines up now, the Aussies are pumped, the English look quiet. Martin steps over the front of the circle, it’s a foul.

Fletcher’s second last throw, it doesn’t look like it will be an improvement on his 16.59m effort in round two. It’s not, its 16.20m.

Wiliamson's turn now, he throws 16.97m and remains in third place.

Stevenson’s up and puts a good one out to 18.57m, just short of his last one.

Martin is struggling with his bicep and it’s a no throw. He might have done enough and doesn’t want to risk the injury and withdraws from the competition confident that the only one that can beat him is fellow Australian Dale Stevenson.

Fletcher fouls on his last throw and Williamson, England’s last hope has to improve on his lifetime best by more than a metre to take it out. It’s a good throw but not enough. We are one all! Williamson records 17.28m, his best throw of the competition.

It’s the last man standing, Dale Stevenson, sitting behind the injured Martin, who steps into the circle. He lets one go but his last throw is not going to affect the competition.

Martin, the Australian captain, takes the win for Australia. One-all in the points standing and a personal best for Stevenson, a good competition for the Australian team.

Pole vault

Well we are off and running at the Great North City Games. The pole vault is underway with Joel Pocklington and James Filshie, from the Mark Stewart stable, our representatives.

Pocklington, who has a personal best of 5.30m opens the batting with an easy clearance at 4.60m. The University Games representative was happy with his initial effort.

The English are represented by Christian North and world champs finalist Steve Lewis today, with Lewis choosing to sit out until 5m and North off to a flyer with a big jump at 4.60m.

James Filshie, who recorded a lifetime best of 5.25m at the nationals in 2008, now takes his first jump for Australia. He bumps the bar with his chest and is disappointed with his first effort but lines up again with just a couple of minutes break.

Again his timing is a little out and he misses. Will Filshie be the first casualty of the competition? We hope not!

Focused on the runway he speeds along and gets over, relieved.

The bar is now at 4.80m and Pocklington again goes to the start of the runway. Asking the crowd for support he takes off, plants the pole and is well clear, Joel is looking good!

Next North attempts 4.80m and also clears the bar easily.

Filshie takes his turn, supported by a vocal Australian team, but misses on attempt one. Again just a few minutes pass and he is off for another try. It's hard work for these vaulters, who often have long breaks between jumps.

On his second attempt he doesn’t quite make the bar and seems to be having trouble sighting the uprights.

The commentator gets the Aussies up on their feet for Filshie for his last attempt and despite a better run-up he misses and is out of the competition.

The bar goes up to 5m and both North and Pocklington miss at their first attempt and Steve Lewis, the event favourite, gets some very clear air on his first attempt on the NewcastleGateshead street.

Christian North, inspired by his countryman’s jump leaves nothing on the runway but is unable to get over. The uprights are too close to the pit and are adjusted.

Pocklington is now up but also struggles with the upright position and doesn’t get to the bar.

North now revs up the crowd and begins his run-up to his third attempt at 5m but doesn’t make it and is out.

It’s now Pocklington and Lewis left.

Pocklington takes to the runway for his final attempt to keep Australia’s hopes alive, he’s a fierce competitor and will give it a good shake.

And he’s over, great clearance Joel!

After a couple of minutes break for the bar to go up it's Pocklington taking on Lewis at 5.15m.

Pocklington misses at 5.15m and Lewis is in the lead with his first attempt at 5.15m to come.

Lewis flies up the runway and again leaps well clear. He is in the lead and will have a break while Pocklington goes for attempt two at 5.15m.

It's a good run-up and Joel goes high, but just clips the bar with his chest on the way down, something we saw Steve Hooker do in Berlin. He's got one attempt to go or England will take this one. Come on Joel.

He frowns with concentration and tears off, a bit of a tail wind to help him and is so close, well over but again bangs it on the way down, it bounces in and looks okay but then lands on the mat beside him and he finishes in second place with a clearance of 5.00m.

Lewis puts the bar up to 5.45m and misses on his first attempt, the winner's first miss of the competition.

His second attempt is an easy clearance, the commentator suggests he's like Superman.

The bar goes up to 5.60m, getting up towards his lifetime best of 5.75m.

Despite the vocal English crowd Lewis misses at 5.60m, not showing his usual speed on the runway and will go to a second attempt.

After a quick break Lewis again lines up on the runway. He looks really serious. A strong run-up but alas he misses again.

Lewis' final attempt at 5.60m. He heads towards the bar but doesn't quite get high enough and that's the end of the competition. England 1 Australia 0, that hurts to write!

Lewis was a happy winner, "Its been a long season, but this has been great. I've really enjoyed it and it's one in the bag for England" he said.

The commentator is rubbing it in and is loving every minute of it but we will now head to the shot put where skipper Scott Martin and Dale Stevenson will be our big men in the circle, this one is ours!